House of Trastámara
The House of Trastámara '(SP: ''Casa de Trastámara, ''CAT: ''Dinastia Trastàmara, ''IT: ''Casa di Trastámara) is a European royal house of Castilian origin, which rose to prominence with the ascension of Enrique de Trastámara, the bastard son of Alfonso XI, to the throne of Castile under the name Enrique II. The younger son of Juan I, Ferdinand, would become King of Aragon in 1412. The junior Aragonese branch would expand massively, arguably becoming more influential in European politics than their Castilian contemporaries. This was mainly because the Aragonese branch of the house was expanding further into the Mediterranean Sea, with the conquest of Sardinia, Corsica and the Island of Sicily. The Aragonese branch of the House of Trastámara reached the apex of its power in 1442, when they simultaneously ruled over the Kingdoms of Aragon, Navarra, Naples, Sicily and Sardinia. With the union of Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile, the senior Castilian branch of the house and junior Aragonese branch of the house were to unify. However, it would not be long after this that the death of their son Juan would spell the end of the direct line of the House of Trastámara. Upon both their deaths, their daughter Joanna became legally Queen, though in all respects the realms were ruled over by Joanna's Habsburg son, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, whose descendants would rule in Spain, rendering the direct Trastámara line extinct. A junior illegitimate line, however, descended from the bastard son of Alfonso V of Aragon, took power in Naples upon the death of Alfonso V. The illegitimate son, who became Alfonso II of Naples, would arguably save the Trastámara line, as his descendants would continue to reign in Naples and Sicily to the present day. History '''Foundations and Early Years The House of Trastámara was founded somewhere between 1336 and 1366, by Enrique de Trastámara, the illegitimate son of King Alfonso XI of Castile by his influential mistress, Leonor de Guzmán. Enrique was adopted at birth by Rodrigo de las Asturias, who was lord of Noreña in Northern Spain. Some consider Enrique's inheritance of Noreña to be the date of foundation of the House of Trastámara, though there was no definitive action which founded the house. Alfonso XI bestowed a great many titles and honours upon his illegitimate children, especially Enrique. The term of Trastámara was first used during the reign of Alfonso XI, as a term which referred to all 'of King Alfonso's illegitimate sons by Leonor, for they became collectively known as ''the Trastámaras. It was upon the death of Alfonso XI and the ascension of King Pedro that the situation grew unstable. Enrique and his brothers scattered from the Castilian court for fear of what Pedro and his vengeful mother, Maria of Portugal, could do to them. After some tension and instability, an agreement was made that Leonor and her children could live peacefully in the Spanish court, though this agreement would not remain in place for long. Enrique and his brothers staged many uprisings and civil wars against King Pedro, all of which would lead into the much larger Castilian Civil War, which would tear the Iberian peninsula apart between Enrique and Pedro's supporters. '''Castilian Civil War The Castilian Civil War erupted as a result of numerous factors, but mainly the growing tension between the supports of Enrique and Pedro in their growing rivalry over the Castilian throne. Enrique would slowly come out on top during the civil war, despite the English support for King Pedro, who allied with Edward the Black Prince. Despite Enrique being briefly installed onto the throne of Castile as Enrique II, the support of the English led to his deposition and the restoration of Pedro onto the Castilian throne. It wouldn't be long until Enrique would strike back though. Due to the treachery of a man named du Guesclin, Pedro was dealt his final betrayal and delivered to Enrique. Shortly after he was identified as the King, Enrique killed his half-brother personally, striking many blows to Pedro. After this, Enrique was crowned King, establishing the House of Trastámara in earnest. Foundations in Aragon Upon Enrique II's death, his son Juan I became King of Castile. Juan had been married to Eleanor of Aragon, the daughter of King Pere IV of Aragon. It was upon the extinction of the male line of the House of Barcelona that the younger son of Eleanor, Infante Ferdinand, was crowned King of Aragon, becoming the first Aragonese monarch of the House of Trastámara. Over time, the Aragonese branch would become more prominent than the Castilian one, expanding their territories in the Mediterranean Sea. WIP Category:House of Trastámara Category:Houses of Naples Category:Royal Family Category:14th Century House Foundations